Canada's Seaspan Shipyards has entered into agreements with US-based Bollinger Shipyards and Rauma Marine Constructions of Finland to provide its proven multi-purpose icebreaker (MPI) design and associated supply chain packages to enable rapid construction and delivery of up to six vessels for the US Coast Guard's Arctic security cutter (ASC) program.
Rauma will build up to two vessels in Finland with delivery expected in 2028 under the contracts formally announced by the US Coast Guard last week. Bollinger will meanwhile construct up to four ASCs in the US with the first of these expected in 2029.
Seaspan said that its MPI design, developed in partnership with Aker Arctic Technology of Finland, is ready for production enabling construction on the ASC program to begin immediately.
The Polar Class 4 icebreakers were originally designed for the Canadian Coast Guard’s long-range, multi-mission operations in extreme Arctic conditions.
Design and engineering of the MPI was completed almost entirely in Canada. Seaspan said it has also already selected many of the program’s system and equipment suppliers as a part of that process.
